Prince Eiji is Watson’s best in Meydan feature

Ed Marnane

Racing in Dubai cranks up a gear with the running of the Listed Dubai Creek Mile, the first stakes race of the season, at Meydan on Thursday.

First run in 2014, Doug Watson has a good record in the event, winning two of the last four renewals and is responsible for four of the 12 runners. Riding arrangements suggest Prince Eiji, the mount of stable jockey Pat Dobbs, is Red Stables main hope.

By Dubawi, he is very unexposed on dirt and showed a decent level of ability in two starts on the surface last season, highlighted by his fourth behind Hypothetical in the Group 3 Firebreak Stakes. Prince Eiji has a fair record returning from a break and is fancied to go well on his first appearance in 271 days.

The course specialist Golden Goal, Prince Eiji’s stable companion, was a fine fourth behind Tuz in last year’s renewal. A three-time winner at Meydan, he enjoyed the biggest success of his career when taking out the Round I of the Maktoum Challenge the following month. Penalised 2kg for that Group 2 victory, he looks vulnerable conceding weight to his rivals, and a watching brief looks the percentage call a month from turning nine years old.

Kafoo, the sole four-year-old in the field, makes his seasonal debut and bids to give Bhupat Seemar and Tadhg O’Shea back-to-back wins after the pair took the prize with Tuz 12 months ago.

By former Dubai World Cup winner and top US sire Curlin, he has a smart record on Meydan’s main track, winning two of his five starts. He clearly merits respect and makes plenty of appeal.

The most interesting runner is Atletico El Culano, a multiple winner in Uruguay including at Grade 1 level and the highest rated horse in the line-up with an official mark of 111. He caught the eye when easily winning over 2000m at Maronas in August, his final run in South America before being sent to the Middle East.

He may find 1600m on the sharp side but it’s easy to make a case for the admirable and consistent six-year-old on his Meydan debut.

The Dubai Creek Mile sees the belated return of the classy seven-year-old Military Law, winner of two of his five races on Meydan’s main track, including at Group 2 level. The son of Dubawi was a late withdrawal after unshipping his jockey just before the start of the 2021 Dubai World Cup.

He’s entitled to need the run and is readily passed over, particularly over a trip likely to be short of his best.

Azure Coast, winner of the UAE 2000 Guineas in February, returns in Race 6, a rated conditions race over 1600m on dirt. The US-bred colt never threatened in the UAE Derby, the final leg of the Dubai Triple Crown when trailing in a long way behind the winner Crown Pride.

He bounced back to form at Moscow in September winning a minor event over 2000m on dirt. Fitted with first-time blinkers, he is well treated by the weights and holds obvious claims.

The Tadhg O’Shea-ridden Bendoog, trained by Bhupat Seemar, gets the vote to spoil Azure Coast’s comeback. The huge son of Gun Runner made a big impression on his racecourse debut in January, making all under a fine front-running ride from James Doyle.

Following a couple of creditable efforts in defeat in both the UAE 2000 Guineas and Al Bastakiya, he produced a smart performance in the UAE Derby, finishing less than five lengths behind the Japanese trained winner.

Racing gets underway with a 1200m maiden and frustrating Lake Causeway looks the one to beat under Tadhg O’Shea. Trained by Bhupat Seemar, he filled the runner-up berth on five occasions and never finished worse than fourth in eight appearances last season. Returning after 257-day absence this looks a good opportunity to finally get his head in front at the 18th time of asking.

Colour Up improved for the switch to Doug Watson, going close on his debut for Red Stables when second to Road Bloc in a maiden here last month. Always handy, he failed to see off the challenge of the shock winner on his first start since finishing 29 lengths behind King Of The Nite at Jebel Ali in March. He’s entitled to be sharper for the race and is main danger to Lake Causeway.

Watson has sound claims of winning the juvenile 1200m maiden, Race 3, with Nyaar, the mount of Pat Dobbs. He made an encouraging debut behind Sharp Army, shaping as he would improve for the race having showed signs of greenness.

Morning, trained by Bhupat Seemar, finished 0.50 lengths behind Watson’s two-year-old on his racecourse debut and looks an obvious threat. He’s entitled to better for the experience and should go well under Tadhg O’Shea.

The most interesting runner of the unraced juveniles is Salem bin Ghadayer’s Tempesta D’Oro, a €85,000 (R1.5-million) purchase at the Arqana breeze-up sale in May. By Bolt D’Oro, a leading young sire in the USA who has made a big impact with his first runners this year, he hails from a yard that has a good record in these types of races at Meydan.

A field of eight have been declared for the 1200m handicap, Race 4. Madkhal, a first runner of the season for Fawzi Nass, has to concede weight all round and is best watched on his first start since winning a handicap over the course and distance eight months ago.

It was hard not to be impressed with Yojaari’s resounding victory at Jebel Ali on his seasonal debut and first start for Michael Costa. Jumping smartly, he travelled powerfully in front before kicking clear to score in good style.

He’s very unexposed and is only having the seventh race of his career. Drawn nicely in stall three, he will be hard to catch if dominating in similar style like he demonstrated at Jebel Ali.

Recent Meydan winner Ranaan, trained by Bhupat Seemar, took advantage of a pace meltdown when coming fast and late to beat Street Mood and nine others.

The winner gave the form a boost when going one better back at Meydan last week. He’s merits respect and holds solid claims on his second run of the campaign.

Best Bet: 2 Bendoog [Race 6]

Best Value: 9 Mimi Kakushi [Race 4]

Best Swinger: 6 Lake Causeway and 4 Colour Up [Race 1]

Jackpot [Races 4-7]

R36

Leg 1: 2, 3, 9

Leg 2: 2, 8

Leg 3: 2, 4

Leg 4: 3, 5, 6